Mozilla Firefox is a free and open-source web browser created by the same group who had designed Netscape over 10-years ago. I first downloaded and started using Firefox on Christmas Day 2004. I was getting tried of the instability and lack of security of Internet Explorer. I had heard about Firefox and decided I would try it out. The ability to customize the browser with extensions is what has kept me using Firefox.
At that time Firefox 1.0 had just been released the month prior. I stayed with the current public/release versions but experimented heavily with extensions and themes sometime resulting in crashing to browser. I moved on to Firefox 1.5 upon its release in November 2005. Then I started reading about Firefox 2 which was going to be a major milestone for Firefox both with new features and new user interface. In May 2006 I started my first Firefox Blog and also started independently beta-testing Firefox 2. I was still using Firefox 1.5 as my primary browser up until the final Beta (Beta 2 in August 2006). At that time I made Firefox 2 my default browser and moved up through the Release Candidates into the final release in October 2006.
It was around that time I switched over from the ‘beta’ update channel to the ‘nightly builds’ update channel. So now I was experimenting and beta-testing the newest Firefox 2.0 builds released each night. Not something for the faint-of-heart as there were times the browser would crash simply by clicking a link or an extension or theme conflicted with the browser resulting in some peculiar behaviors.
The first Alpha version of Firefox 3 was released in December 2006 and I started working with those builds. Nearly a year later in November 2007 Firefox 3 had moved into the Beta builds and I started using those as my primary browser up through the release candidates and the final release in June 2008. Again I switched over from the ‘beta’ update channel to the ‘nightly builds’ update channel to get the newest Firefox 3.0 builds.
Shortly before the Firefox 3 release, Firefox 3.1 was announced as an intermediate update to Firefox 3. This version was to include features which we’re planned, but not yet ready to be released with Firefox 3. Firefox 3.1 was planned for a release in December 2008. By October 2008 the first beta was released and I started testing this browser. I ended up switching over full time in late October 2008 after having to a complete system restore of Windows Vista (and no the reason for the restore had nothing to do with Firefox). In March 2009 with the release of Beta 3, Mozilla announced because of the scope of Firefox 3.1 had changed (mainly due to the release of Google Chrome, IE8 and newer versions of Safari and Opera). Further, it would also be including some major changes such as private browsing and a new JavaScript rendering engine. The version number would be changed with the Beta 4 release (released in April 2009) to Firefox 3.5.
In late March I discovered a simple command line tweak which has enabled me to run Firefox 2.0.0.20, the most current version of Firefox 3 and the latest nightly builds of Firefox 3.5 simultaneously. This has become very useful for my work in Go Firefox! (see Delphi Forums) as it allows me to quickly test and diagnose issues in any of these versions without having to shutdown one version of Firefox and open another.
On April 6th, 2009 came news of Firefox 3.6 (Namoroka). This announcement also signals that Firefox 3.5 could soon be become a reality in the next couple months.
Firefox 3.5 was released on June 30th, 2009. In late July 2009 came news of Firefox 3.6 and 3.7 releases. Firefox 3.6 is suppose to incorporate features that were not ready in time for the Firefox 3.5 release. In case this sounds familiar, it should as the original intent of Firefox 3.5 or 3.1 was suppose to incorporate the features that were not ready when Firefox 3 was released. Firefox 3.6 was due for release in November 2009 and after 1 Alpha, 6 Betas and 2 Release Candidates was released in January 2010.
Firefox 3.7 was suppose to be mainly a ‘visual refresh’ with Windows Vista Aero Glass for Toolbar and Tabs, a new ‘Page Button’ and a combined Tools/Bookmark Bar. Firefox 3.7 was slated for release in the Spring of 2010. There had also been some early discussions about Firefox 4. The Alpha releases of Firefox 3.7 is being released and labeled as Firefox 3.7/Gecko 1.9.3. The first Alpha was released in February 2010 with a second and third Alpha releases in March 2010. Alpha 4 was released in April with the final Alpha 5 (and release on the Firefox 3.7 numbering) in June 2010. After this final Alpha release all future builds were renumbered as Firefox 4.
In early July 2010 Firefox 4 Beta 1 was released. Prior to this release I took a look at Firefox 3.7a6pre (Minefield). Up through mid-September, Betas 2-6 were released. Beta 7 had been scheduled for late September 2010. At that time the expected release date was still showing as late September 2010 with a note ‘behind schedule’. RC1 was still scheduled for released in October 2010. The projected released date for Firefox 4 was suppose to be around Thanksgiving 2010.
Beta 7 was finally released in November 2010, followed by Beta 8 in December 2010, Betas 9 & 10 in January 2011. February 2011 marked on year since the first developmental release of Firefox 4 (then Firefox 3.7). Mozilla released Firefox 4 Beta 11 & 12 during this month. While there has been ‘talks’ of a possible Beta 13, it appears Firefox 4 is ready to move the next stage, the release candidates (RC). No word yet when RC1 is going to be released. Mozilla’s goal was to have Firefox 4.0 released before Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 9. Unfortunately, Mozilla missed this by about a week with IE9 being released on March 14, 2011 and Firefox 4 on March 22, 2011. About a month later the first and only (planned) update for Firefox 4 was released on April 28, 2011.
Mozilla is moving ahead with Firefox 5 on a slightly more accelerated release schedule. Firefox 6 is suppose to follow the new 18-week release schedule. Firefox 5 will contain features and updates that could not be completed in time for the Firefox 4 release. On April 12, 2011 Firefox 5 was released to the new Aurora development channel which allow developers and beta testers to get a feel for the new version. During this six-week phase Mozilla will work to get the new features as well as the release itself stabilized. Non functioning or malfunctioning features will be removed and held over for Firefox 6. Firefox 5 is scheduled for release on the Beta channel around May 17, 2011. This 6-week phase allows Mozilla time to address any issues that may come up during the Aurora cycle and also gives extension developers a chance to get their extensions working with the new version. Firefox 5 has a firm (something Mozilla has not done in the past) release date of June 21, 2011.
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